Grading Morgan Dollars
This article was written by a club contributor and may or may not represent the overall opinion of the club as a whole. The information is intended to be a guide for grading Morgan dollars and is not intended to replace or contradict the opinion of a professional grader, but rather to offer another visual guide to the contributor's interpetation of current grading standards. IMPORTANT: Most dates within the series are generally easy to grade by simply comparing to the images provided. But many dates were struck to less consistent standards. Dates that are reliably well produced include San Francisco 1879-S through 1882-S, most Philadelphia strikes, 1879-1898, and most Carson City dates of 1882-CC through 1884-CC. 1878 dollars have different details than later dates but are usually very well struck except the 7/8TF reverses. 1921 dates have details from a different master hub and tend toward weaker strikes. Notoriously poor strikes often affect: 1886-O, 1889-O, 1890-O, 1895-O, 1896-O, and 1903-O. Some dates have strikes all over the place, such as 1884-O, 1885-O and 1904-O. This guide ignores the effects of cleaning, damage, or other prohibited alterations of a coin's appearance.
Fair: FA-2
- obverse rim blends with peripheral lettering but date is readable
- some of LIBERTY may be visible on headband
- rim heavily worn into lettering but usually, In God we trust legible
About Good : AG-3
- obverse rim typically defined with occasional blending
- LIBERTY weakly legible on headband
- half of reverse rim blends with lettering - pictured coin is stronger than average
Good : G-4
- obverse and reverse rims both separated from nearby devices
- LIBERTY strong and usually full on headband
- very little blending of rim into peripheral lettering
Choice Good : G-6
- obverse and reverse rims both notably complete and dentils are outlined
- major curls outlined behind neck area
- eagle's eye becoming sharp
Very Good : VG-8
- complete, bold rims showing occasional full dentils
- individual kernels in grain at top of head and grape leaves outlined
- feathers in right (observed) wing stronger than those for left wing
Choice Very Good : VG-10
- recesses in hair strands longer and bolder than for VG-8
- groups of leaves on reverse starting to show delineation between individual leaves
Fine : F-12
- many curls in hair are partially outlined
- essentially all dentils completely delineated
- no individueal feathers on eagle's breast but it now hints at some rounded relief
Choice Fine : F-15
- curls becoming more boldly outlined
- top three grape leaves outlined while right point of lowest leaf weak
- eagle's eye very close to full sharpness
Very Fine : VF-20
- sharper than Fine overall, but still worn over ear
- portrait overall showing all major details
- generally all of eagle's feathers now showing, but barely separated
- talons becoming individually visible
Select Very Fine : VF-25
- all grape leaves completely outlined
- lower tresses becoming a little more intricately detailed
- individual feathers nearly bold
Choice Very Fine : VF-30
- definite separation of individual hair strands above ear
- lower tresses show considserable detailing
- eagle's neck feathers becoming sharply separated
- talons clearly visible and wreath's bow almost fully delineated
Gem Very Fine : VF-35
- grape leaves show pleasing definition and eye is well detailed
- all feathers at right are nicely sculpted while a few at upper left still weak
- very few coins may show a hint of luster on the reverse
Extremely Fine : EF-40
- essentially all hair strands complete but lightly worn above ear
- cotton bolls essentially complete
- all of eagle's feathers show and the breast is rounded with hints of detail around border
- protected areas near peripheral letters may show flashes of luster
Choice Extremely Fine : EF-45
- all lower curls strong and obverse overall shows obvious hints of luster
- eagle's breast feathers showing ample details but are flat at broad central area
- reverse often shows partial cartwheel effect
About Uncirculated : AU-50
- significant luster unbroken through peripheral lettering
- frosted texture often shows inside of and between lettering
- almost all breast feathers now visible but very faint at center
Select About Uncirculated : AU-53
- mint luster seems to glow around portrait
- little wear on strands over ear
- probably all of eagle's breast feathers show unless weakly struck as for the illustrated example
Choice About Uncirculated : AU-55
- substantial luster will show and create noticeable cartwheel effect
- lustrous effect worn away in the middle of fields and over cheek
- eagle's breast feathers plainly visible for any well struck example
- reverse often "looks UNC" at this grade level
Gem About Uncirculated : AU-58
- obverse will display borderline complete flowline luster through the fields
- reverse can typically pass as fully UNC except for very faint color shift on the eagle's breast and wing tips
- all struck details are visible with occasional rub
Mint State : MS-60
- absolutely no loss of detail to circulation but a weak strike is possible
- luster must be complete but may be poor and dull with little cartwheel effect
- discoloration, isolated stains and large bagmarks commonly restrict an UNC coin to this grade
- ironically, MS-60 examples are typically less attractive than coins in the AU-55 to AU-58 range
Select Mint State : MS-61
- both sides must display complete luster through the fields with no breaks
- almost always, excessive abrasions and hairlines limit the grade
- luster can be poor, or sometimes highly appealing but kept back by impairments
- many times, the reverse will appear a grade or two nicer than the obverse
Very Select Mint State : MS-62
- coin may have surprisingly attractive luster and sharpness
- grade is often determined by a single large bagmark, or a few too many smaller nicks on the cheek
- the illustrated coin was held back by severable noticeable hairlines on the portrait
- spots or isolated stains, or even unattractive toning are often present
Choice Mint State : MS-63
- pleasing, unimpeded luster and no major marks
- a single moderate abrasion ill-placed on the cheek can often keep the coin from a higher grade
- toning may be present and must be original
- full sharpness as-struck, although many issues may have weak detail due to aged dies
- a silver dollar at the choice grade level should be attractive without hesitation
